Daniel Bwala, spokesman for Atiku Abubakar, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempts to circumvent the withdrawal limit policy recently announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
According to him, the ruling party is afraid the policy would affect its alleged plot to rig the forthcoming elections through what he termed the “bullion van” policy.
The apex financial institution had announced January 31, 2023, for the withdrawal of old naira notes from circulation.
However, Senator Ali Ndume of the ruling party had, during the plenary on Wednesday, raised a motion to move for the extension of the withdrawal policy to June 30 next year, citing its likely consequences for Nigerians.
Ndume, who faulted the timing of the policy, maintained that the new notes have not been in circulation since its implementation on December 15.
The lawmaker insisted Nigerians would be thrown into more hardships if the date for the withdrawal of old naira notes is not extended.
Bwala, who reacted to the development in a Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily show on Friday, accused the ruling party of plans to circumvent the policy.
The PDP chieftain said the ruling party’s resistance to the policy was to prevent free, fair and credible elections next year.
“The policy will destroy the legacy of Buhari if it’s allowed to be extended. The policy is meant to address bullion van politics. Why is the proposal for extension. But the point is, we must protect the sanctity of voters and their choices by ensuring that this policy is implemented to the extent that it ensures free, fair and credible elections. And all the electorate of the people fighting to stop the policy must be aware that these people do not wish them well”, Bwala said.
He further described the ruling party as unpopular, adding it would be rejected by Nigerians in 2023.
“APC had made concerted effort to depart from President Muhammadu Buhari. Based on their actions, they are on a course to destroy his legacies. If not, why is it that only one party is opposing the policy in the country?
“But they know they are unpopular and that Nigerians have rejected them. Only hallucinated Nigerians will allow a nation with increased insecurity, bad economy and other avoidable crises to be under APC. The party is unsettled because they are aware bullion van politics is no longer tenable”, he added.